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Psychology Major & Minor

Psychology is a popular major at many universities across the country, largely because psychological issues permeate our everyday lives; an understanding of how and why humans are affected by mental processes can benefit graduates in a variety of career fields. Psychology majors become adept professionals in clinical and counseling settings, medicine, law, politics, education and business.

The psychology major offers a challenging curriculum that integrates theoretical study, empirical investigation and practical application. Because faculty members have a wide range of expertise in adulthood and aging, child development, clinical psychology, cognition and emotion, history, neuroscience, psycholinguistics, social psychology and women’s studies, students receive a comprehensive education that prepares them well for careers or post-graduate study.

Richmond psychology graduates are routinely admitted to excellent graduate programs, both in psychology and other fields in which students have developed interests. 

The Department of Psychology offers both a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of science degree in psychology in addition to an interdisciplinary major in cognitive science. There is also an interdisciplinary concentration in neuroscience.

Psychology
Bachelor of Science

The Bachelor of Science Degree

Note: The grade point average of the department-specific and related-area coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.7).

14 units, including:

  • PSYC-100 Introduction to Psychological Science

  • PSYC-200 Methods and Analyses

  • PSYC-299 Integrated Topics

  • PSYC-300 Methods and Analyses Core Project

  • One course from Psychology 310-Psychology 329

  • One course from Psychology 330-Psychology 349

  • One course in the Psychology 444-Psychology 449 series

  • Three electives at the 300 or 400 level

  • MATH-211 Calculus I

  • MATH-212 Calculus II

  • One unit, chosen from:

  • One unit, chosen from:

    • CHEM-141 Chemistry: Structure, Thermodynamics, and Kinetics

    • PHYS-127 Algebra-Based General Physics 1 with Lab - PHYS-128 Algebra-Based General Physics 2 with Lab

    • PHYS-131 Calculus-Based General Physics 1 with Lab - PHYS-132 Calculus-Based General Physics 2 with Lab

Note: No more than one unit of PSYC-299 may be applied to the 10 units required in psychology. No more than one unit of internship and two units of 300-level research coursework (PSYC-300 and/or PSYC-361) may be applied to the major.

Bachelor of Arts

The Bachelor of Arts Degree

Note: The grade point average of the department-specific and related-area coursework comprising the major must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.7).

10 units, including:

  • PSYC-100 Introduction to Psychological Science

  • PSYC-200 Methods and Analyses

  • PSYC-299 Integrated Topics

  • PSYC-300 Methods and Analyses Core Project

  • One course from Psychology 310-Psychology 329

  • One course from Psychology 330-Psychology 349

  • One course in the Psychology 444-Psychology 449 series

  • Three electives at the 300 or 400 level

Note: No more than one unit of PSYC-299 may be applied to the 10 units required in psychology. No more than one unit of internship and two units of 300-level research coursework (PSYC-300 and/or PSYC-361) may be applied to the major.

Minor

The Psychology Minor

Note: The grade point average of the coursework comprising the minor must be no less than 2.00 with no course grade below C- (1.7).

Seven units, including:

  • PSYC-100 Introduction to Psychological Science

  • PSYC-200 Methods and Analyses

  • PSYC-299 Integrated Topics

  • One course from Psychology 310-Psychology 329

  • One course from Psychology 330-Psychology 349

  • Two electives at the 300 or 400 level

Note: No more than one unit of 300-level research coursework (PSYC-300 and/or PSYC-361) may be applied to the minor.